


Vegas Wedding

by xhookswenchx (ReluctantPrincess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Vegas Wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2020-01-13 13:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18469591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReluctantPrincess/pseuds/xhookswenchx
Summary: After going to Vegas for her best friends' wedding, Emma finds herself walking down the aisle... with a man she's only just met.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I wrote on a whim. Thought it would be fun to compile it and add to it as I go. :) Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are my own.

Emma couldn’t stand the way her friend was looking at her. There was judgment laced with irritation and a hint of mothering in it.

“What do you mean you got married?” She finally asked.

“I… ummm… well…” How on earth was she supposed to explain it? They were here for Mary Margaret and David’s wedding. Going off and marrying a stranger that same night was definitely a slap in the face.

“I don’t care,” Mary Margaret waved it off. “But I do want to know who it was.”

“Remember the guy at the chapel?” Emma asked.

“The clerk?” When Emma shook her head, Mary Margaret frowned. “The witness?”

Emma looked at the ground. “No…”

“Oh God. Emma… did you marry the Reverend?!?”

“I can explain!” She said quickly, knowing very well that she couldn’t.

* * *

_The night had ended somewhat normally. David and Mary Margaret had gone up to their room to celebrate their marriage, (ew) leaving Emma to explore Vegas on her own._

_She didn’t mind. A little freedom from her somewhat overprotective brother and her motherly best friend was the part of the trip she’d looked forward to the most. Back home, she worked with David and lived in their converted garage, meaning she was often around one or both of them at any given time._

_So maybe she was a little lonely, and maybe she’d had a little more to drink than she would usually allow herself. But getting married was never part of the plan._

_Unfortunately, she wasn’t prepared for Killian Jones to walk into her life. To say he was gorgeous was an understatement. She’d thought him attractive in the chapel, but running into him in the hotel gave her a much different impression. As a Reverend, he was charming. In his street clothes, he was sex on legs._

_Of course, he was a gentleman. He’d taken notice of her stumbling about and immediately helped her find her way back to her room. Despite her best efforts to get into his pants, he resisted, leaving her feeling just a little rejected on top of being intoxicated._

_But he stayed. He’d made sure she was hydrated and got the rest she needed. Normally, she wouldn’t trust a random stranger, but the usual red flags never showed themselves._

_When she woke from her nap, he was still there, lounging in the chair and reading the book she’d placed on the dresser._

_“Ah, feeling better?”_

_“Yeah...” a quick glance at the clock informed her that it wasn’t all that late yet. “So... you’re still here.”_

_“Aye,” he answered, his accent thick and dreamy._

_Despite the early rejection, she’d given it another try. “I’m feeling better, the night is still young... maybe we could... I don’t know? Get married?” The words were out of her mouth before she stopped to think of what she was saying._

_“Get married?” He asked. “Are you still drunk?”_

_“Well... no,” she admitted. “A little buzzed maybe, but I think I’ve slept off the worst of it.” He still looked at her, confused, and she sighed. “Look, we’re in Vegas. Aren’t people supposed to do reckless stuff like that?”_

_“Have you forgotten my profession?” He chuckled. “I’ve seen many a bad decision in my day. I’m not about to let you make one. Do you even know my name?”_

_“Killian Jones,” she stated. “It’s kinda hard to forget. You did sign my friends’ wedding certificate.” She wasn’t sure if she’d ever told him her name, but he didn’t seem too concerned about that. He was getting ready to shoot her down. Hard._

_“You’re really prepared to make a lifelong choice based on the fact that you remember my name?” He asked._

_Emma rolled her eyes and got out of bed. She made her way over to the chair, gripped Killian’s shirt and hauled him up. He didn’t protest, making it just a bit easier to lift him out of the chair._

_“Swan...”_

_“Hmmm,” she said. “Seems like you remember my name too.” She didn’t give him a chance to answer before she crashed her lips to his, kissing him with everything she had. It didn’t take long for them to find their way back to the bed._

_That was when Killian pulled back. “Emma... I can’t.”_

_Right. Because of the Reverend thing. He really seemed to take it seriously. “Aren’t you just a guy who officiates?”_

_“I was helping out my friend tonight,” he said. “He owns the chapel your friends married at. But I spend most days at my church.”_

_“Preaching?”_

_“Aye,” he nodded._

_She would find the only legit man of God in Vegas._

_“We could...” she looked at the bed, then back at him, “you know... if we got married.” She kissed him again, not sure why she wanted this so badly, but wanting it nonetheless._

_“All right,” he said, when she let go. “Let’s get married. I think I know a place.”_  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunch with the inlaws. Maybe?

“You married the Reverend so you could have sex with him.” It wasn’t a question, and Mary Margaret didn’t seem like any form of explanation would appease her now.

Emma groaned. “In my defense, he didn’t say no.”

“How on earth is that-” her friend stopped and shook her head. “You know what? I don’t want to know. I guess the real question is what are you going to do now?”

That was something she hadn’t thought of. “We… haven’t really talked about it,” she said. “But I’m sure he’ll just want to annul it or something.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Mary Margaret challenged.

She hadn’t thought about that. But he wouldn’t want to stay married to someone he’d only known a few hours, right? 

“Emma…” Mary Margaret frowned. “What about  _ Henry?” _

Another thought that should have crossed her mind, but somehow, hadn’t. Now, on top of being completely irresponsible, she was a terrible mother. “Look, I’ll fix this, okay?” 

“How?” 

“Just… give me a couple hours.”

Mary Margaret nodded in agreement. “You both can meet us for lunch at noon.”

“Both of us?” That didn’t make any sense at all. He wasn’t a part of their group… not really, anyway.

Her friend shrugged. “He  _ is  _ your husband. It wouldn’t be right to exclude him from the festivities.”

_ Great. _

That didn’t give her much time at all.

* * *

“Where did you sneak off to?” Killian asked when she opened the door to her room. 

Emma startled. “You’re… still here…” she hated how it sounded, like she  _ wanted  _ him to leave. A part of her knew it would have been less complicated had he gone, but she didn’t  _ want  _ him to go. 

The hurt on his face broke her heart. 

“That’s…” she frowned as she searched for the right words. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just… I wasn’t expecting you to stick around is all.”

“I wouldn’t have married you if I hadn’t planned on sticking around,” he said. “But… if you’ve changed your mind…”

“No,” she blurted. “I haven’t.” The overwhelming feeling she’d had the night before returned full force. It wasn’t just about the sex… although she’d be lying if she said it was anything but spectacular. There was something else. Some reason she threw all caution to the wind and married someone she hardly knew. 

But that was the problem, wasn’t it? They didn’t know each other at all. Would he really still want to be married to her when he found out she had a son? A crazy wedding was one thing, but surprise fatherhood was another entirely. 

“I just… I think we should talk,” she said. “Mary Margaret and David want us to meet them for lunch-“

“They do?” His eyes lit up, and a smile spread across his face. “You mean… us? As in you and me?”

Emma nodded. “But I really think we should talk first.”

“We have all the time in the world to talk, darling,” he waved off the request. “Right now, I’ve got to make a good impression. David… he’s your brother, right?”

“Yeah…”

“And I’m certain he’s very protective of you.”

She could only nod. 

“So if we want this to work out,” he continued. “I’ll need to win them over. If the family doesn’t want us together, they’ll only make an already complicated situation even more complicated.”

“You’re going to win over my brother over lunch?” She asked in disbelief.

“That, I very much doubt, luv,” he chuckled. “But it’s a start.”

“I really think-” 

He silenced her with a kiss. One that landed them right back into bed. 

All thoughts of talk and lunch left her mind as she drifted off to sleep. It wasn’t until Mary Margaret called, worried about her absence that she woke in a panic. Running late to lunch wasn’t going to do Killian any favors when it came to winning her brother over. Especially since David would make wild -albeit correct- assumptions as to  _ why  _ they were so tardy.

_ This was a disaster. _

“Killian!” she shook him awake after hanging up the phone.

“Just a few more minutes,” he mumbled drowsily. 

“It’s twelve-thirty! We were supposed to be downstairs half an hour ago!” 

He sat up, but didn’t seem to be in the same rush that Emma was in. “All right,” he shrugged. “Let me just get ready, and we’ll go-”

“Are you going to take all day?” she snapped, hating how impatient she sounded. “Sorry… it’s just… Mary Margaret might be the understanding type, but my brother is probably feeling a little murderous right about now.”

“Well,” he laughed. “We can’t go downstairs like this. I’ll move a little faster, darling, but you also need to relax a bit.”

Arguing would do her no good. It would only stall them further, and he’d  _ just  _ agreed to hurry a bit. She dressed quickly as well, hoping that she didn’t look too bedraggled. That  _ definitely  _ wouldn’t help Killian win David over.

* * *

As suspected, David had a murderous look in his eyes. The moment she caught sight of him in the lobby, Emma noticed he was glaring in their general direction. 

No… not in their general direction. He was glaring daggers right at Killian.

Mary Margaret didn’t look too thrilled either, but at least there was a smile on her face. Emma decided that she would be easier to charm. David would be a piece of cake after that. Her sister-in-law always seemed to have a way with her brother that no one else did. If Mary Margaret approved, she would convince David that everything was just fine.

It was something Emma had learned from experience. When she’d shown up on their doorstep, fresh from dropping out of college and a baby on the way, David was livid. Not at her really, but at the ex who had left her high and dry. Mary Margaret was the one who had talked him down from murdering Neal, and talked him into finishing their garage apartment and putting it to use.

She’d been there ever since, even though now she had a stable job and could easily get an apartment of her own. There was something about not being so alone. Someone was always home, and Henry loved following his Uncle around-

_ Henry! _

“Killian…” Emma stopped and grabbed his arm. “We need to talk.”

“Now?” he asked. “I thought we agreed we’d talk later?”

“I think we should talk now,” she insisted.

“Your brother is staring, luv,” he said. “If we don’t get over there soon, he’ll likely have my head.”

No amount of protesting would save her now. Killian was blissfully ignorant, and her brother was royally pissed. She was screwed either way.

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything goes to Hell. Or so it seems.

Emma wondered how Killian could be so cool and collected when she felt as though they were walking into certain doom. Her protest and attempts to stall ultimately failed. Killian practically dragged her over to where David and Mary Margaret were standing. 

“Uh…” she stammered when David shot her a dirty look. “You guys remember Killian… right?”

“Let’s skip the pleasantries,” David snapped.  _ Oh. So Mary Margaret  _ had _ told him all the details.  _ “Emma… what were you thinking?”

That was a shock. She half expected him to punch Killian in the face, and  _ then  _ maybe hand her a lecture. But he went right for her first. 

And she didn’t have any good answers for him.

Instead, she tried another tactic. “I’m not twelve, and you’re not my father.” It did nothing but make her sound like a whiny teenager and only seemed to anger David more. 

“A twelve-year-old would have more sense!” David growled. “How could you be so irresponsible?”

“Don’t be so hard on her, mate,” Killian intervened. “She didn’t do this on her own.”

David’s ire went back to Killian. “Oh, let’s get started on you.” 

“David…” Mary Margaret whispered. “You’re making a scene…”

He ignored her warning. “I thought you were a decent guy, and then you go off and marry my drunk sister!”

“Hey!” Emma shouted. “I wasn’t drunk!” It was sort of the truth. She was tipsy when she ran into him, but sober by the time she proposed marriage. 

David looked back at her, his anger melting into what seemed like desperation. “That makes it worse! You were in your right mind and still thought it was a good idea to marry a random stranger? What about Henry?”

She could feel Killian’s gaze on her.  _ Dammit, David!  _

Mary Margaret seemed to read the room quickly, and for that, Emma was grateful. “David,” she hissed. “Now is not the time.”

“Oh, I think it’s the perfect time,” he laughed, once again, ignoring Mary Margaret’s warning. “So, you’re just going to bring some random stranger into Henry’s life?”

“Emma…” Killian said slowly, as though he was trying to catch up. “Who is Henry?”

“You didn’t tell him you had a son?” David blurted out. 

* * *

Killian’s heart sank. He felt like an idiot for ignoring all of Emma’s attempts at conversation.  Some part of him was afraid that she would try to talk him into an annulment, and he was only trying to hold off in an attempt to convince her to give them a chance. “That’s why you wanted to talk to me,” he said. “Isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she mumbled, looking down at the floor. “I should have told you yesterday… but…”

“But you weren’t thinking,” David supplied. 

Emma looked up at him, her eyes red with tears and filled with anger. “Stop acting like I just parade men in and out of my son’s life!” she shouted. “Honestly, I never do  _ anything  _ for myself. You’d think the one time I get a little crazy and do something for me, that you’d have a little sympathy!” 

“Emma-" David tried. But it was too late. She’d already turned and stormed off. 

Killian moved to go after her, but he felt a small hand grab his wrist. It was gentle and feminine, and he was grateful to learn that it wasn’t David, pulling him back for a fight. 

“If you go after her, you’ll only push her further away,” Mary Margaret said when he turned to look at her. 

“But she’s my wife,” he reminded her. 

“She’s been your wife for all of ten minutes,” David reminded him. His voice had lowered, but there was still anger in his tone. 

“She’s still my wife,” Killian reasoned. “And despite what you may think, I care about her.”

“But you still don’t know her like we do,” Mary Margaret reasoned. “When she wants to be alone, she wants to be alone.”

But what if she  _ didn't  _ want to be alone? What if she just wanted to get away from the situation? What if she was just afraid that he would reject her because of her son? Wouldn’t leaving her alone only solidify her fears?

“I have to go,” he said. “If she wants me to leave, then I’ll leave… but I can’t have her thinking I’ve abandoned her.”

Mary Margaret let go of him, and David gave him a nod of what seemed to be understanding.  _ Maybe getting on their good side wouldn’t be as difficult as Emma thought it would be. _

He thanked them quickly, then made his way back to Emma’s room, hoping that was where she’d gone. 

When he arrived, he knocked gently on the door. 

“Go away, David!” he heard Emma shout.  _ Good. She was there. _

“It’s not David, luv,” he said. “It’s Killian.”

Silence. 

Just as he was about to lose hope, he heard footsteps coming towards the door. When it opened, his heart nearly shattered. Emma’s eyes were red-rimmed, and her cheeks stained with tear tracks. 

“Why are you here?” she asked, sounding more confused than annoyed.

“I was hoping we could have that talk now,” he suggested. “Perhaps you wouldn’t mind letting me in?”

She rolled her eyes and laughed, a somewhat bitter sounding laugh, but a laugh just the same. “A little late for confessions, don’t you think?” she asked. Still, she opened the door and let him in. 

“I apologize,” he said as she locked the door. “I should have listened when you said you wanted to talk. I just… I suppose I expected far worse than what you were trying to tell me.”

“What’s worse than finding out you have a surprise step-son?” she grumbled as she plopped on the bed.

“Many things,” he chuckled as he sat beside her. “I should have listened.”

“And I should have told you before…” she gestured between them. “All of this. I should have said something last night, but I wasn’t thinking. I guess I never expected it to go any further than this weekend.” She frowned. “I know what this looks like, but I didn’t just marry you so I could sleep with you. I mean… that was part of it, but there was something else that…” she shrugged and looked down at the floor. “I don’t know.”

“You can’t quite explain?” he finished the thought for her. She looked up at him and nodded. “Aye,” he agreed. “I felt it too.”

“I never expected you to stick around,” she admitted.

He could only guess by her assumption that she hadn’t had many constants in her life. “Well,” he said, taking her hand in his. “I’m here, and I’m willing to give this a try if you are.”

She studied him for a minute, and he wondered if she was simply trying to see if he was being genuine. Finally, she spoke. “You’re serious.” It wasn’t a question. When he said nothing, she shook her head. “Did you miss the part where I have a kid?”

“I’m plenty aware of Henry,” he assured her. “And I know we’ve already gotten married, but we can still take a step back and slow down. I’ve still got a few months left on my lease, and I’ll have to find a replacement at the church, so that gives us a little time to take a step back and get to know one another.”

“Wait… are you implying that you’re moving to Maine?” 

“Your family is there,” he said. “I wouldn’t want you to leave everything behind for me. Especially since you have your boy. There’s no need to uproot him if you don’t have to.”

“But-”

“I don’t have roots here, Emma,” he assured her. “If anything, moving to Maine will put me closer to my brother and nieces.”

“And if it doesn’t work out?” she asked.

“I think it will,” he said. “And… I think we could be happy together. But, on the off chance it doesn’t work out, at least we could say we gave it an honest try.”

She smiled at him, and it gave him hope. Hope that she might just come around and give him -give  _ them- _ a chance. “I need time,” she said. 

“Of course,” he nodded. “You’ve got your son to think about.” 

The tension that had been so prevalent after the argument with David seemed to ease. He didn’t expect it to be an easy path, but something in his heart told him that it would be more than worth it. 

“Maybe we should start by trying to get to know each other?” she suggested. “I mean… outside of the bedroom.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian meets Henry... via phone.

David had eased up a bit by the end of their trip. He’d even gone as far as offer to redo the apartment for them. Currently, it was more of a studio, offering little privacy.

Especially with a toddler running around.

Emma wasn’t quite ready to start thinking about it, but figured an actual apartment might be a better option. She didn’t bring it up though. They still had time.

Now that she was thousands of miles away though, she wondered if they’d made a mistake. Long distance seemed like a good idea at the time, but what if it only drew them apart?

Worse than that, her heart ached. She wondered how she could miss him so much when they’d only just met. Even the texts they'd exchanged as she made her way home weren’t enough. 

By the time she brought Henry home, she felt like she might go insane. Fortunately, her son’s enthusiasm distracted her. She’d only been away for a few days, but his excitement to see her suggested she’d been gone for years. 

As he babbled about what she assumed to be his adventures with Granny, her mind drifted back to Killian. Guilt washed over her when Henry snuggled up against her. How on earth was she going to explain everything to him?

She and Killian had discussed it before she’d left. He’d meet Henry on Facetime first, and then they’d work their way up from there.

She would have liked to go a little bit slower when it came to introducing Killian into Henry’s life, but there really wasn’t much of a choice. Killian would be moving to Maine in a few months. The longer she waited, the more awkward their face to face meeting might be. She would prefer Henry be somewhat comfortable with the idea of Killian before just moving the guy into their world.

Right after dinner, at their agreed upon time, Killian called. Emma took a deep breath and waved Henry over as she answered.

* * *

Killian couldn’t help but laugh when he heard Henry in the background.

“Pone? Mama, pone?” The little boy sounded excited at the thought of being involved in a phone call.

Suddenly, a forehead and two eyes took up the entire screen. “Hi!” Henry said excitedly when Emma introduced them. Before Killian could answer, Henry turned to his mother. “Mama, he ‘tuck in ‘dere?”

“I’m all right, lad,” Killian chuckled.

“It’s like on TV,” he heard Emma explain. “Only you can talk to the person on the other side.”

“Oh…” Henry turned around again and backed up a bit so Killian could see him seated happily in Emma’s lap. “Hi!” he exclaimed with a wave of his hand.

“First Facetime,” Emma informed Killian. “Hey!”

Henry giggled as he grabbed the phone and ran across the room. Killian couldn’t make out most of the babble, but one word rang out loud and clear.

“Airpane!” Henry shouted, proudly showing off a little toy plane. Killian listened as Henry pulled out more planes and introduced him to each one in his collection.

“Sorry,” Emma apologized as she sat down next to her son. “He’ll never stop talking once he decides he likes you.”

As if to prove her point, Henry continued babbling, making sure Emma couldn’t grab the phone from him as he did so.

“I suppose we should have told him first,” Killian teased. “He’s a bit more agreeable than your brother.” He absolutely delighted in her smile. “Am I wrong?”

“Honestly?” Emma laughed. “Henry hasn’t really grasped the concept of ‘stranger danger’. Though… my brother isn’t always the best judge of character either.” She ruffled Henry’s hair and snorted out a laugh when he made an angry noise and shoved her hand away. “I think maybe in this case, Henry’s got it right.”

“You think so?” Killian asked, eyebrow arched. “What about the lad’s mother? Her opinion is important too.”

Emma blushed, but before she could say anything, Henry was dominating the conversation again. “You ‘tome ober now?” he asked.

“Killian lives far away,” Emma explained. 

Henry scowled at her. “Airpane,” he insisted, making a little airplane noise. “You ‘tome, we pway.”

“How about next week?” Killian suggested. “I can have one of my assistants run things while I’m gone, and I can head back in time for Sunday services.”

“Yeah,” Henry decided. “Do ‘dat.”

* * *

One week later, Emma was picking Killian up from the airport. Henry had screamed when he’d realized where she was going. Sometimes, she’d take him down to the airport so he could watch the planes. Today though, she wasn’t sure how long she’d be waiting, and knew for a fact that Henry would get bored after awhile.

Watching planes would only occupy him for so long.

Getting him to understand that was a fool’s errand, so reluctantly, she’d kissed him goodbye and prayed he’d calm down for Mary Margaret by the time she came back.

_With Killian._

He’d called every night, and Henry was enamoured with the man “in Mommy’s phone.” Thankfully, Killian never seemed to mind listening to Henry chatter before having a quiet conversation with her. 

She only hoped he’d be as good with Henry in person as he was on the phone.

While she drove, neither said much of anything. What was she supposed to say? That her son was likely mid-meltdown, and that she still wasn’t sure how she felt about being married? Sure, everything seemed fine on the phone, but in a few short months, they’d be _living_ together. They hardly knew each other at all. What if he was a terrible housemate?

What if _she_ was a terrible housemate?

“Emma?” Killian asked, breaking her from her spiraling thoughts. “Did you even hear a word I said?”

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I guess I’m just a little distracted.”

“I just asked if you thought Henry might like the airplane I got him.”

“Oh!” She smiled at that. Killian had gotten Henry a stuffed airplane that made jet noises when squeezed. “He’ll love that for sure.”

“I’ve got something for you too,” he added. “But you get to wait a bit.” He smirked at her, and shrugged when she gave him a dirty look. “Patience is a virtue,” was all he said.

“Well,” she sassed. “Maybe I just _won’t_ bake you that cake tonight.”

“Chocolate?” He asked.

“And I made reservations for a nice dinner, but-”

“You don’t have to wait long, luv,” he promised. “Just tomorrow. I swear it. When we have a moment to ourselves.”

“We have a moment to ourselves now,” she commented.

“Aye,” he agreed. “But a moment where I’m not jet lagged, and you’re not flipping off every other driver on the road.” 

“Sorry,” she said. “I really didn’t think you were looking.” Marriage was hard enough. She just _had_ to make it even harder by marrying a guy who would likely frown upon her more colorful language.

“To be fair,” he reasoned. “They _were_ driving rather erratically.” He took her hand in his and laced their fingers. “There. No more middle finger.”

She was quiet for a moment. What if _that_ was the deal breaker? She wasn’t sure she could successfully give up swearing… or flipping people off.

“Hey,” he said softly. “You don’t have to worry so much.”

“Who’s worried?” She knew she didn’t sound the least bit convincing.

“I can see it in your eyes,” he informed her. 

“We are two _very_ different people,” she said. “What if… after spending a little time together, you realize that you don’t really like me all that much?”

“Trust me, luv. We’re not all that different.”

He left it at that, leaving her to wonder what exactly he meant. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s taken so long. It’s been a hell of a couple months. I think that’s why this chapter wound up a little longer than usual! 
> 
> In this episode, Henry and Killian finally meet face to face.
> 
> Unfortunately, someone else has a not so great meeting with Killian as well.

**(Graphic by the lovely@searchingwardrobes !!!)**

Henry seemed content when they arrived. His eyes were still red rimmed from the tantrum he’d thrown, but he was calm, and even smiling at the cartoon he was watching on the television. Mary Margaret quietly assured her that he’d calmed down shortly after she left. 

“Hey, kid,” Emma said softly, not wanting to trigger another meltdown. Calm as he might have been now, she wasn’t sure if he was still upset with her about the airplanes. 

His eyes lit up at the sight of Killian, though his words were quiet and shy. “Ian comed ober?”

“Aye, lad,” Killian nodded. “I brought you a present too.”

Henry eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then slid off the couch and toddled over. “You reawy Ian?” He asked.

“I swear it,” Killian assured him, pulling the little stuffed airplane out from behind his back.

Another minute went by as Henry considered him. Finally, he settled on believing that Killian was really who he said he was. “So we pway now?” He asked. 

Killian squeezed the plane, and Henry smiled a big, toothy grin when he heard the engine noises. 

Shyness melted away, he grabbed Killian’s hand and led him towards the door to the garage apartment, babbling the whole way. Even Emma couldn’t understand him, but she was pretty sure Killian was about to get a royal tour of Henry’s toy box. 

“I guess we can assume that went well,” Mary Margaret whispered to a relieved Emma.

As much as she wanted to have that quiet moment he’d mentioned earlier, she couldn’t bear to tear Henry away from monopolizing Killian’s attention. After Henry had successfully “flown” his new airplane around to their apartment, he waited expectantly for Emma to open the door.

“We’ll come get Henry when you’re ready to go to dinner.” David laughed as Emma gave in to her son’s demands.

Before long, Killian and Henry were seated by the toy box, and just about every airplane Henry owned was out on the floor. “You too, Mama,” he demanded, patting the space next to him. 

As the three of them played, Emma hardly noticed the time flying by. It wasn’t until Mary Margaret knocked on the door that she realized how late it was getting. 

“Just give us a few minutes,” she told her friend. “We need to get ready still.”  She looked at Henry and tried to explain that she and Killian were going to go to dinner, but her son’s good mood quickly turned sour before the words were out of her mouth.

“No go!” he shouted with clear understanding that that was the reason Mary Margaret was there. 

“Just for a bit,” Emma explained. “Killian and I are hungry.” 

“Pizza,” Henry stated. “You stay.”

“It’s all right,” Killian said with a smile. “We can go to dinner another time. I know you made reservations and everything, but it _has_ been a long day, and pizza sounds pretty good right about now.”

“And airpane?” Henry asked.

Killian nodded and Henry went back to playing.

She wanted to protest. All she wanted was one evening out so they could really talk, but toddlers were adamant sometimes, and Killian didn’t seem too put out about trading in a fancy dinner for cheesy bread.

“He’s got school tomorrow,” she said. “Daycare really, but it’s a nice little preschool. He’ll be there for a few hours… maybe we can get breakfast instead?” 

“Breakfast sounds-” Mary Margaret started, but then stopped when Emma shot her a look. “Like it would be nice for you two,” she finished. “I’ll just go back to watching movies with David.”

When Mary Margaret left, Emma and Killian left Henry to play while they ordered pizza. She took out her phone and they sat down, leaning against Emma’s massive amount of pillows. Without thinking, Emma rested her head on his shoulder and let out an exhausted sigh. Before she could come to her senses and move out of his personal space, Killian shifted and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her a little bit closer. 

It really _had_ been a long day.

Killian took the phone from her and set it aside. “We can order in a minute,” he said. “Right now, we’ve got a little quiet moment while Henry is occupied.”

“Oh?” she asked. “Something that can’t wait until tomorrow?” 

“Let me see your hand,” he said, taking her left hand in his. For a moment, he inspected the silver band on her finger, then slipped it off without further comment. 

Emma didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure if she should feel hurt, or if there was something else he had planned. He stuck her ring in his pocket, and she shut her eyes in an attempt to hold back the tears.

“That’s good,” he said. “Keep your eyes closed for a second.”

Now she was even more confused. “Killian-”

“Just a minute,” he assured her. A few seconds later, she felt him sliding a ring back onto her finger. “There,” he said, sounding almost pleased with himself. “You can look now.”

Emma opened her eyes and saw that her silver band had been replaced with an older looking -but still shiny and beautiful- diamond ring. “I… it’s beautiful. But, I don’t understand. I have a ring. You didn’t have to buy me a new one.” She felt almost guilty at the idea that he’d gone out and upgraded her ring when she hadn’t thought to do something similar. It was too much.

“To be honest, I didn’t buy it,” he admitted as he scratched behind his ear. “It was my Mother’s ring. Before that, it belonged to my Grandmother. Apparently, it’s been through quite a few generations. It’s a bit of a tradition. My older brother inherited my father’s band, and I inherited this one.”

It was _really_ too much.

“I can’t take this,” she protested. “I mean… it’s perfect, but it was your mother’s. What if things don’t work out?”

He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tighter. “I’m giving it to you because I think it will. Plus, when we got our original rings, I realized I wouldn’t even have to resize it for you. And look! It’s a perfect fit. I don’t take much stock in signs, but if that isn’t one…”

She couldn’t stop looking at the ring. It was perfect in every way. A family heirloom that had been passed down for generations. “And the people who wore it before?” she asked.

“Long and happy marriages,” he said, not needing her to finish the thought. “At least the ones I know of. I can’t account for my great-grandparents, but I’m certain they were just fine if this ring’s survived it all.”

“Thank you.” The words came out as a whisper as she looked up at him and kissed him. It was far too chaste for the moment and liking, but with Henry in the room, she had to be careful. There would be plenty of time for celebrating while he was at school.

* * *

Emma woke to the sounds of Henry trying to climb up onto her bed. She looked over at her phone.

Midnight.

“When did you wake up?” she asked when he finally managed to climb up next to her.

Henry didn’t answer, only glared at Killian, who was now waking up, as he proclaimed: “Dat my ‘pot.” He pointed to the little race car bed. “You seep dere.”

“Henry,” Emma tried not to laugh at how serious and put out her son was. “Killian won’t fit in your bed. Why don’t you sleep in the race car?” She wasn’t even sure why she’d bought the thing. Henry almost never slept in his own bed. He preferred to hog her sleeping space.

“My ‘pot,” he insisted.

“Can we make a deal?” Killian yawned and propped up on his elbow. “I’m only in town for a few days. So maybe… we can share for now? I’ll sleep here, and you can sleep on the other side of your mother, and she can be squished in the middle?”

She could see the wheels turning as Henry mulled it over. “We skish her?” he asked.

“Aye.”

Henry laughed. “Yes.” He snuggled up against Emma, signaling it was time for sleep.

* * *

The night had been filled with a fitful sleep. After everyone settled into bed, Henry decided it was time to wake up again and police their sleeping habits. The moment Killian put his arm around Emma, Henry pushed it away. 

“My Mama,” he stated.

It had gone on all night, as though Henry never intended to sleep at all. Just a little chaperone to make sure he got his mom all to himself. 

Emma was really none the wiser. She slept through everything.

The next morning, she and Henry both seemed refreshed, while Killian felt like he could nap for another ten years.

“Are you okay?” Emma asked. “You look like you didn’t sleep very well.”

“How did  you manage to get any sleep?” he countered. “Henry was tossing and turning all night.”

“Oh!” She laughed and ruffled Henry’s hair. “You get used to it. I’ve learned that he’s not a still sleeper. It took awhile, but I managed to learn how to sleep through it. When he needs me, he makes a point of actually waking me up, so once I got over the paranoia that every little move was a problem, I was just fine.” 

“Did it take longer than a few days?” he joked.

Emma frowned. “I’m sorry. I can make him sleep in his own bed if it’s too much trouble.”

“No,” he shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I was only kidding around. He obviously wants to be near you, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Don’t put him out just because I’m here.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. “Because it _can_ make sleeping difficult. I want you to be comfortable too.”

“I’m fine,” he assured her. 

“Okay,” she said, though it didn’t look as if she believed him. “I’m going to get Henry ready so I can go drop him off at school. It won’t take me very long. It’s right around the corner, so I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Can I come?” he asked. When she only stared at him in disbelief, he chuckled. “I came here to spend time with the two of you,” he reminded her. “That means even the stuff you think I don’t want to do.”

“Like dropping a kid off at preschool?” she laughed.

“Like dropping a kid off at preschool,” he agreed. “And I know you probably think that it’s just another routine, but to me, getting to know your routines will help me get to know you better. Plus, it’ll give you a chance to show me around town.”

“You mean show you _off_ around town?” she asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“Well,” he felt his face flush. “If you wanted to.”

“I should warn you,” she said, her playfulness fading into something that hinted more towards nervousness. “I kind of have a reputation around here.” 

He couldn’t imagine her having anything remotely close to a bad reputation. “I know small town gossip can be worse than the usual, but please don’t tell me the entire town holds something against you because you’re a single parent.”

“It’s not really that.” She grabbed Henry’s shoes and brought them over to the bed. After Henry scrambled up, she handed the shoes over when he insisted he wanted to put them on himself. She turned back to Killian. “It’s more about _who_ I decided to have a baby with. But this town does have some pretty archaic beliefs. I’m actually surprised that there wasn’t any judgement from you.”

“From me?”

“You know, the whole Reverend thing. Aren’t you supposed to look down on babies out of wedlock and stuff?”

He shrugged. “It’s not really my place to judge. The world isn’t perfect. Most people have that plan for their life, you know? They’re going to get married, have a family, or a career, or whatever it is they’re dreaming of. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Things happen. Sometimes, those we thought we could believe in betray us. Other times, we find ourselves venturing off our chosen path. What matters is how we carry on. Whatever happened, Emma, it’s in the past. What matters is now. You’ve paved your way in your career, and you’re a wonderful mother to a beautiful little boy. I’d say that’s something to be admired, not looked down on.”

She didn’t seem convinced, but the conversation came to a halt when Henry announced he was ready to go. “Shall we?” she asked Killian.

“Let me grab my shoes,” he said.

“Hey,” she took his hand before he could get up. “It’s really complicated, but we can talk about it when we get back, yeah?”

“Only if you want to.”

* * *

“Emma Swan.”

The unwelcome voice stopped her dead in her tracks. Emma groaned and squeezed Killian’s hand a little tighter. Of all the people they could run into, they had to cross paths with Regina Mills. Most people in town liked her, but for some reason, she’d painted a target on Emma’s back.

_So much for a nice breakfast._

It was a rivalry that spanned most of their lives. Through high school, and then again when Emma had Henry.

“Is it still Swan?” Regina asked. “Or have you changed it yet? Graham said it sounded like an annulment was in your future, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“Hello Regina,” she muttered.

“Well,” Regina gestured towards Killian. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new husband?”

Emma knew that had Graham known everything, Regina would have toned down her nastiness. The last thing Storybrooke’s _finest_ would want was to look bad in front of someone who might be sharing a church with her in the near future. If Regina only _knew_ , she wouldn’t be laying it on quite so thick. She’d still be bad, but the worst of it would be so sticky sweet that most people would think she was being nice.

“Regina, Killian,” she said. “Killian, Regina. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have some errands to run before school lets out.”

“Well that’s a little rude,” Regina tsked. She looked at Killian and smiled one of her signature fake grins. “Are you opposed to some coffee? We could all grab a bite to eat and get to know one another.”

_Absolutely not!_ Emma’s mind screamed. But she couldn’t be rude. After all, Regina and Killian would likely be working together at some point.

“Maybe some other time,” Killian said, far more politely than she would have. “I’m not in town for very long, and I’d like to spend what time I have with Emma and Henry.”

“Of course,” Regina nodded. “Have fun.” She waved and walked by them, leaving Emma fuming. 

“Sorry,” she said once she was sure they were out of earshot. “I should have warned you about her.” The coffee was never a true offer. It was only meant to rile Emma up. 

She had spent so much time worrying about Neal. For all the warning she did about staying away from the Gold’s, she’d forgotten all about potential Regina problems. “She likes to make me miserable,” she added.

“You seemed to have frozen up,” he said. “So I assumed it was more than just an uncomfortable situation. I hope my stepping in didn’t make things worse.”

“It might have,” she shrugged. “Or maybe not. I really don’t care. I just wanted her to go away. Sometimes, it’s hard to shake her.”

“I take it she’s a bit judgemental?” he asked.

“Among other things,” she sighed.

“Let’s try not to worry about it too much,” he suggested. “I’m not concerned with what she thinks. I’m more concerned with that breakfast you told me about.”

Emma smiled and nodded towards the diner. “Granny’s, straight ahead.”


End file.
